French President Emmanuel Macron is facing intense pressure from both allies and opponents to take decisive action amid a deepening political crisis, following the resignation of his seventh prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu.
The unexpected resignation has reignited debate over Macron’s leadership, with even close allies urging him to consider stepping down for the good of the nation. Former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, once a trusted ally who served under Macron from 2017 to 2020, publicly called for early presidential elections once the budget is passed—a move that Le Parisien called a “political bomb.”
Since taking office in 2017, Macron has weathered multiple storms, but this current standoff—compounded by a fractured parliament and public dissatisfaction—marks the gravest test of his presidency. Lecornu was given until Wednesday evening to cobble together a viable coalition government, but optimism is fading fast.
If coalition talks collapse, Macron may be forced to dissolve parliament and call for snap legislative elections in a desperate attempt to regain control. As of Tuesday evening, he held closed-door meetings with leaders of both parliamentary chambers—a constitutional requirement before calling new elections.
“A Crisis Harming the Country”
Critics, including Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure, blame Macron’s rigid leadership style for the impasse. “These umpteenth negotiations no longer aim to protect the interests of the French people, but those of the president himself,” claimed the far-right National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen and her likely successor, Jordan Bardella.
Meanwhile, Macron’s isolation on the domestic front starkly contrasts with his high-profile involvement on the global stage, particularly in international efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict.
An Exhausted Nation Watching Closely
French citizens, already reeling from economic challenges and a controversial pension reform passed in 2023, are growing increasingly frustrated. The ongoing uncertainty is not only damaging national morale—it’s threatening the credibility of French democracy itself.
In a moment captured by French media, Macron was seen walking alone along the Seine, deep in a phone conversation—an image that encapsulates the solitude of a leader at a crossroads.
Will Macron fight on until 2027 as promised, or will he heed the growing calls to step aside for the sake of national unity?
Whatever happens next, one thing is certain: France is watching. And so is the world.
